Meanwhile, German unlisted optical technology group Carl Zeiss AG is in talks to sell its defence business to EADS’s Cassidian unit, Financial Times Deutschland reported, citing industry sources.

The paper cited spokespeople at Cassidian and Carl Zeiss as saying the two businesses have been cooperating for quite a while now and are in talks over further steps, without going into further detail.

Carl Zeiss business’s products include night vision binoculars, military laser pointers and satellite optics and has around 160 million euros ($200 million) in sales, according to the paper.

Carl Zeiss AG is owned by a foundation and holds a majority stake in Carl Zeiss Meditech.